The Rossmoor men's tennis team embraced innovation during its recent practice session, turning a canceled match into an engaging opportunity for all involved. Spearheaded by co-captain Stuart Coffey, the team embarked on a unique format that fostered camaraderie and team spirit. With the cancellation of their match against Blackhawk Country Club, Coffey seized the opportunity to introduce a fresh approach to their practice routine. Twelve teams were selected in advance from those who signed up for this practice to ensure a more diverse mix of players across skill levels on each team. Utilizing six courts allowed for efficient game play and maximized participation. The format of the matches was carefully crafted to provide a different and challenging experience. In the first round, each player served one game. Following this initial round, players had the opportunity to switch pairings on their court. An additional four games were then played, further testing the players' skills and teamwork. The excitement didn't stop there. In the second round, the teams were randomly paired using the Randarray function in Excel, injecting a new element of unpredictability into the matches. This random pairing challenged players to adapt to different playing styles and again forge new connections within the team. Despite the absence of official records, the intensity and enjoyment of the matches were palpable. Players truly enjoyed the chance to compete in a fresh format, one that encouraged experimentation and collaboration. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. After play concluded, team members were treated to lunch and refreshments, providing an opportunity to unwind and celebrate their efforts. This combination of competitive play and camaraderie epitomizes the spirit of the Rossmoor men's tennis team. In conclusion, the Rossmoor men's tennis team's practice session exemplified the power of adaptability by senior players in sports. By embracing new formats and fostering a supportive team environment, members not only tested their skills but also created stronger bonds as teammates.   Written by:  Roger Emanuel

The Rossmoor Tennis Club Men's Team had a beautiful day for its match against Walnut Creek #1. WC#1 traditionally fields one of the strongest teams in the SMIL league and this match was no exception.  One bright outcome was the line 5 match with Bill Leckonby and Rich Schulman. It was a marathon and finally Rossmoor eked out a victory in the 3rd set tie-break, 10-8. This was a real nail biter. The match went so long that the beer and soft drink get together after the matches was over before the match concluded.Bill and Rich were so exhausted by the end that they were really ready for the finish. Here's a summary of the match results: Line 1: Chris Slee and David Besenfelder had their hands full against an extremely good team and lost by a score of 1-6, 0-6. Line 2: Stuart Coffey and Bernie Wolf fared slightly better than line 1 but were overmatched and ended up losing 1-6, 2-6. Line 3:  Aric Ludwig and David Hickey had a competitive match and were up 4-1 in the second set before losing by a score of 2-6, 5-7. Line 4: Barry Brian and Dave Kern not only partnered together for this match but recently shared the stage at a performance of the Ashmolean Singers. The Rossmoor team struggled mightily before going down by a score of 3-6, 3-6. Line 5: Here was the ray of light for Rossmoor. Bill Leckonby and Rich Schulman won this long match by a score of 2-6, 6-2, 10-8. Line 6: John Weyand and Gerry Quinlan had a challenging match and finally lost 4-6, 3-6. Win or lose, the Rossmoor team members loved the exercise and challenge on a pleasant outing and look forward to more matche Left to right,  front row: John Weyand, Rich Schulman, Captain Bernie Wolfe, Barry Brian, Stuart Coffey. Back row: Bill Leckenby, David Besenfelder, Chris Slee, Dave Kern, Jerry Quinlan, David Hickey.

The Rossmoor Tennis Club Men's Team had a successful match against Walnut Creek #2 on February 28 in the Senior Men's Inter League (SMIL). Despite the close loss in Line #1, the team managed to win convincingly in 4 out of 5 matches, showcasing their strength and skill.

Left to right Front Row:  Bert Sibilia,  Rich Schulman, Stuart Coffey, John Corwin.   Back Row: Al  Peters,  Frank Haswell,Charles Stumpfel,  Dave Kern,  Barry Brian,  David Hickey

Here's a summary of the match results:

1. Line #1: Frank Haswell and Stuart Coffey put up a good fight but ultimately lost a close match with a score of 4-6, 4-6.
2. Line #2: Al Peters and David Hickey dominated their opponents, winning comfortably with a score of 6-1, 6-2.
3. Line #3: Barry Brian and Dave Kern delivered a commanding performance, overwhelming their opponents with a score of 6-0, 6-0.
4. Line #4: John Corwin and Richard Schulman secured a solid victory, winning with a score of 6-0, 6-2.
5. Line #5: Chas Stumpfel and Bert Sebilla emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 6-0.

Captains Bob Satcher of Walnut Creek #2 and Bernie Wolfe of Rossmoor kept in close communication to organize the five teams.  Both teams enjoyed the camaraderie after the match, sharing snacks and drinks. The break in the winter weather likely added to the enjoyment of the day. Overall, it was a successful outing for the Rossmoor Tennis Club Men's Team.

Despite the rain cancellations and the they posed, the Rossmoor Men's tennis team managed to have a match against the Crow Canyon Men's team at Rossmoor's Buckeye tennis complex on February 21. Coach Bernie Wolf had to work hard to reschedule matches due to the rain, but finally, he got lucky with good weather for the match.

Team members Jerry, Shrey, Rich, Stuart, and Bob Fries showed dedication by arriving early to help dry the courts, which surely helped ensure the match could take place smoothly. The weather turned out to be beautiful for the game.

However, the Crow Canyon teams proved to be tough opponents, winning two out of three matches:

1. At line #1, Barry Brian and David Besenfelder were defeated with scores of 1/6 and 0/6.
2. At line #2, Stuart Coffey and Richard Schulman also faced strong opposition and lost with scores of 4/6 and 1/6.
3. The lone victory for Rossmoor came at line #3, where David Hickey and Al Peters emerged victorious with scores of 7/6 and 6/0.

Despite the mixed results, the players still enjoyed their post-match tradition of drinks and snacks, appreciating the chance to relax and bond after the competition.

Left or right: Al Peters, David Hickey, Barry Brian, David Besenfelder, Rich Schulman, Stuart Coffey

Men's Tennis Team: Triple Tiebreak Triumph

Finally the rain let up enough for the Men's Tennis team to have a match on January 17th, against the Moraga Country Club Men's team.  The prior two matches had to be cancelled twice each, due to rain on Wednesdays.  Although it had rained the night before this match, the Men's team came out early to get the courts ready in time for this match. Rossmoor Men prevailed over Moraga in all 3 lines.  One of Moraga's teams decided not to play because the courts were still a little damp and those players were fearful of falling and getting hurt.  Line 1 was Frank Haswell and David Besenfelder.  That team prevailed 6/4, 3/6 and 10/7 in a 3rd set 10 point tiebreaker.  This was the longest match of the day. Playing at Line 2 Bernie Wolf and Al Peters also won in a 3rd set tiebreaker: 2/6, 6/0 and 10/4. Line 3 was Bert Sebilia and Marc Parham who also won in 3 sets: 7/5, 1/6 and 10/7.  Third set tiebreakers were the feature of the day! Fortunately, no one got hurt due to the courts being still wet in places. After the matches ended players enjoyed soft drinks, beer and snacks and a chance to visit.  The team was happy to finally get a match completed and come away victorious.                    Left to Right:  Marc Parham, Al Peters, Bert Sebilia, Bernie Wolf

The Rossmoor men's tennis team lost their match on November 29.  As always, Walnut Creek #1 had very strong teams, and despite the efforts of Rossmoor's top teams, they fell in straight sets. Chris Slee and Yoshi Fukamiya lost the 1^st line match at 6-1, 6-2. Frank Haswell and Larry Barclay were defeated in the 2^nd line, 6-3, 6-3. The David team of David Hickey and David Besenfelder likewise fell in their match, 6-4, 6-1. However, Al Peters and Bill Leckonby managed to secure a victory in the 4th line, 6-1, 6-3 preventing a complete sweep.

There were weather challenges caused by earlier rain. Olympic brooming efforts by teamers John Corwin and Ike Ichikawa and with the help of some sun and wind, the courts were playable. Co-captain Stuart Coffey coordinated the court preparedness effort and was instrumental in enabling the event to take place. It sometimes takes a village to get the courts ready and this collaborative effort made it happen.

Despite the loss, Rossmoor looks forward to the challenge of tough competition from Walnut Creek #1 in future matches.

Left to right: Larry Barclay, Frank Haswell, Al Peters, Bill Leckonby, Chris Slee, David Besenfelder,  Yoshi Fukamiya, and David Hickey 

On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon on Nov. 1, the Rossmoor Men's Team traveled to Crow Canyon Country Club. Both teams fielded 4 lines of players and Crow Canyon prevailed with 3 wins.  

The first and fourth lines of Rossmoor fared the best. Playing line #1 were Barry Brian and Richard Schulman. They barely lost their first set 6/7 (losing 5/7 in the tiebreaker). In the second set they lost 1/6. At line 2 Bernie Wolf and Stuart Coffey lost 2/6 and 0/6. The third line were Rick Sterling and Ike Ichikawa and they lost 0/6 and 0/6.

The sole victory was for David Hickey and John Corwin. They lost the first set 5/7 and then won the second and third sets in 10 point tiebreakers 10/7 and 10/7. The reason they didn't play a full second set was that one of Crow Canyon's players came one half hour late. Corwin just returned to Rossmoor from Connecticut and he quickly helped earn the team a win.

Crow Canyon provided cold beverages and snacks and players had a chance to visit especially while watching the fourth line playing. Rossmoor looks forward to Crow Canyon coming to Buckeye courts in the near future for a rematch.

 

Left to right: David Hickey, John Corwin, Rick Sterling, Stuart Coffey, Captain Bernie Wolf, Barry Brian, Rich Schulman, and Ike Ichikawa.

Article by Bernie Wolf

On Wednesday, October 18, 10 men's players traveled to Roundhill Country Club to play 5 lines of tennis.  It was a warm, clear day.

The most senior players, Larry Barclay and Al Peters fell to a strong team 3/6 and 2/6.  Stuart Coffey and Richard Schulman won the first set 7/6 in a tiebreaker 7/4.  They were ahead 5/3 in the second set when one of their opponents had to retire for medical reasons.  David Hickey and Barry Brian lost the first set 4/6 and were tied 4/4 when Brian had to leave because of another commitment.  He slipped into the club house and I'm told emerged in a bowler hat, vest and bow tie for his next event- barbershop quartet!  Meanwhile,  Roger Emanuel and Bernie Wolf prevailed 6/4 and 6/1. Ron Kalb and Jerry Quinlan lost 3/6 and 0/6 in the fifth and final match.

A noteworthy observation is that one of the opponents against Emanuel/Wolf was Colin Armitage.  Armitage is well known to our players Peters and Barclay, as they have played many times over the years. In a recent singles match for the North/South Challenge Cup at the Berkeley Tennis Club, Peters and Armitage played in the final of the 85-age division. The match was a long three-set singles match in which Peters won it for the title.

Ike Ichikawa came to the match to support the team and took the team photo.  Another spectator was Dr. Merv Becker, a very long-time friend of Dr. Bernie Wolf from practice in Concord and a past member of Round Hill.  

After tennis, Round Hill treated Rossmoor Men's team to free drinks and snacks. It was a most enjoyable outing.

Left to right: Larry Barclay, Ron Kalb, Stuart Coffey, Rich Schulman, Gerry Quinlan, Roger Emanuel, Barry Brian, Captain Bernie Wolf, Al Peters, David Hickey (photo by Ike Ichikawa)

Article by Bernie Wolf